Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Wii)

‘The boy who lived’ is another movie hero whose video game adventures never seem to have matched up to the quality of his films (or books). Rather than simply repeat the predictable third person action of previous games though, this is something a bit different. It’s almost a sort of Grand Theft Auto: Hogwarts (or a variation on The Simpson’s: Hit & Run for those that are too young to know about Rockstar’s naughty blockbusters).

What this means in practical terms is that you’ve got almost the whole of Hogwarts school to explore from the off, with different missions of varying degrees of importance available from different locations. You now control only Harry, with Hermione or Ron reduced to supporting roles, although there are some short sections where you can play as Fred and George Weasley instead. The re-focus on Harry is a result of the sheer number of magical spells available to him now, from standard offensive and defensive magic to summons and levitation spells that help you uncover and unlock the hidden secret of Hogwarts.

Casting spells isn’t as simple as just pressing a button though, as you’re made to actually trace out a magical symbol using the controller (something that works particularly well on the Wii), which adds greatly to the sense of immersion. There’s also a range of similarly controlled mini-games, including wizard chess and gobstones, which you can play either in or out of the game. It’s all a vast improvement on the previous titles, with similarly superior graphics and a general air of effort not usually associated with film tie-ins.
Harrison Dent

• Discover the Real Hogwarts: Use the Nintendo Wii Remote to put a wand in your hand and cast spells in the game. Explore the Hogwarts as seen in the movie and discover its magical secrets. Talk to the portraits, complete their missions and gain passwords for shortcuts around Hogwarts. The player can interact with virtually everything they come across, gain discovery points and unlock secrets in the Room of Rewards.
  
• Recruit Dumbledore`s Army: Find and recruit the members of Dumbledore`s Army. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix`s nonlinear gameplay allow the player to choose where they go, what they do and when they do it, within the magical surroundings of Hogwarts.
  
• Attend Hogwarts Classes: Complete side-missions for teachers and attend Herbology, Charms, Transfiguration and Potions classes to earn O.W.L. grades. Achieving "Outstanding" opens secret areas of the castle.
  
• Play Wizard Games: Compete in Exploding Snap, Gobstones and Wizard Chess games throughout Hogwarts and challenge the best from each house using unique Wii Remote and Nunchuk controls.
  
• Experience the Movie in the Game: Play the key moments from the movie, from the Dementor attack in Little Whinging to the ferocious battles at the Ministry of Magic. Experience the most authentic-to-the-movie game experience in Harry Potter videogame history: the castle is built from the same blueprints used to build the movie sets. Actual movie assets were referenced to create a more authentic feel. Many of the movie`s actors have been head scanned and contribute their actual character voices, and the key Harry Potter music theme can be heard in this videogame.
  
• Play other Favourite Characters: Fly Fred and George out of Hogwarts as they escape Umbridge`s regime. Play as Sirius Black to protect Harry as you confront Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy